WTRV
Encyclopedia
WTRV is a radio station
broadcasting an adult contemporary format. The station is licensed to Walker, Michigan
, and serves the Grand Rapids, Michigan
market. Its signal can be heard as far south as Otsego, Michigan
, far east as Ionia, Michigan
, and as far north as Fremont, Michigan
For the first decade or so of its existence as WTRV, the station featured a MOR/soft AC format featuring a mix of soft oldies and selected more recent songs, from artists such as Carpenters, Barry Manilow
and Barbra Streisand
who were no longer played on competitor and former easy listening
station WOOD-FM 105.7. WTRV now features the Mainstream AC format formerly heard on sister station 95.7 WLHT
, which has shifted to Hot AC since 2009
. Despite a relatively weak signal, WTRV regularly scores as one of the top ten radio stations in the Grand Rapids market, outperforming its sister station WLHT.
100.5 FM went on the air in 1993 with the WQFN calls. For several years, it was co-owned with Christian broadcaster WFUR
and operated out of the WFUR studios. Originally WQFN was a fully automated adult contemporary station, soon flipping to Smooth Jazz
fed via satellite from Jones Radio Networks
. The smooth jazz format was a moderate ratings success. In 1997, the station was sold and converted to its current call sign and the MOR format, which stood for over a decade. WTRV aired Delilah's
syndicated nighttime love-songs show for a time until it moved to sister station WLHT and later to whst is now WSRW-FM.
The current WTRV on-air lineup includes Andy Rent and Chuck LaTour mornings, Kim Carson middays, John Tesh
during afternoon drive and early evenings, and Gene Parker nights. The station is automated during overnights. The station shuffled its on-air lineup to coincide with sister station WLHT's change to Hot AC as "Channel 957" in October 2010; Kim Carson (a veteran of Detroit radio) and the syndicated John Tesh show both moved over from 95.7, and Wendy Reed, former midday host on 100.5, is now doing middays at 95.7.
WTRV was the first station in the Grand Rapids market to switch to a format of continuous Christmas music
between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, in 2007, the station opted to continue with its normal format, with Christmas music mixed in, for the holiday season, while sister hot adult contemporary station WLHT-FM went all-Christmas (which it had never done before) to compete with WOOD-FM. In 2010
, the station returned to an all-Christmas music format for the holiday season due to the rebranding of sister adult top 40 station WLHT-FM.
...and Wendy Reed, former night time host on WTRV. Gene Parker did mid-days before moving to nights.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting an adult contemporary format. The station is licensed to Walker, Michigan
Walker, Michigan
Walker is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Grand Rapids. The population was 23,537 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city, it was known as Walker Township...
, and serves the Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
market. Its signal can be heard as far south as Otsego, Michigan
Otsego, Michigan
Otsego is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,934 at the 2000 census. The city is within Otsego Township, but is administratively autonomous....
, far east as Ionia, Michigan
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
, and as far north as Fremont, Michigan
Fremont, Michigan
Fremont is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.- History :The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled in the area in 1855. The Weaver homestead served as the...
For the first decade or so of its existence as WTRV, the station featured a MOR/soft AC format featuring a mix of soft oldies and selected more recent songs, from artists such as Carpenters, Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
who were no longer played on competitor and former easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
station WOOD-FM 105.7. WTRV now features the Mainstream AC format formerly heard on sister station 95.7 WLHT
WLHT
WLHT-FM, also known as "CHANNEL 95-7" , is a hot adult contemporary music formatted radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan owned by Townsquare Media. Until late April 2006, the station was the home of the husband-and-wife morning team of Dave & Geri.-WKLW, WZZM-FM, and WZZR:The station signed on...
, which has shifted to Hot AC since 2009
2009 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2009.- Events :* January 1: Kurdish TV starts broadcasting in Turkey.* January: Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City.* January 17: Two well...
. Despite a relatively weak signal, WTRV regularly scores as one of the top ten radio stations in the Grand Rapids market, outperforming its sister station WLHT.
100.5 FM went on the air in 1993 with the WQFN calls. For several years, it was co-owned with Christian broadcaster WFUR
WFUR (AM)
WFUR is a radio station broadcasting a religious format licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan."WFUR-AM 1570 was constructed and put on the air in 1947. It was licensed as a 1000 watt, daytime only station. A trio of war veterans operated WFUR-AM from 1947-1950...
and operated out of the WFUR studios. Originally WQFN was a fully automated adult contemporary station, soon flipping to Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
fed via satellite from Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such as news and talk programs, syndicated radio shows,...
. The smooth jazz format was a moderate ratings success. In 1997, the station was sold and converted to its current call sign and the MOR format, which stood for over a decade. WTRV aired Delilah's
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
syndicated nighttime love-songs show for a time until it moved to sister station WLHT and later to whst is now WSRW-FM.
The current WTRV on-air lineup includes Andy Rent and Chuck LaTour mornings, Kim Carson middays, John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
during afternoon drive and early evenings, and Gene Parker nights. The station is automated during overnights. The station shuffled its on-air lineup to coincide with sister station WLHT's change to Hot AC as "Channel 957" in October 2010; Kim Carson (a veteran of Detroit radio) and the syndicated John Tesh show both moved over from 95.7, and Wendy Reed, former midday host on 100.5, is now doing middays at 95.7.
WTRV was the first station in the Grand Rapids market to switch to a format of continuous Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, in 2007, the station opted to continue with its normal format, with Christmas music mixed in, for the holiday season, while sister hot adult contemporary station WLHT-FM went all-Christmas (which it had never done before) to compete with WOOD-FM. In 2010
2010 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2010.-Events:*Date Unknown: CHOI/Quebec City flips from Alternative Rock to News/Talk.*January 4: KJCS/Lufkin, Texas goes silent....
, the station returned to an all-Christmas music format for the holiday season due to the rebranding of sister adult top 40 station WLHT-FM.
Sources
...and Wendy Reed, former night time host on WTRV. Gene Parker did mid-days before moving to nights.